Notable Actors/Actresses
Wang Kai: Zhao Zhen / Emperor of Song Ren Zong
Jiang Shu Ying: Dan Shu / Empress Cao
Ye Zu XIn: Zhang Mao Ze (Eunuch)
Lu Yan Qi: Dong Qiu He
Director:
清平樂
(Previous title: 孤城閉
Held in the Lonely Castle)
Held in the Lonely Castle)
Network: Tencent Video
Mini Recaps
The young Emperor meets the young Han Qi who gives him a healthy dose of reality. Han Qi criticizes the Emperor right in front of the him without knowing his identity.
[Ep2] This Empress seems like an excellent future pawn for those who want to manipulate her. Easily influenced and has zero social awareness. She would upset the Empress Dowager on countless occasions and has no idea herself. She even complains to the Empress Dowager that because she forced their marriage, the Emperor hates her.
The Empress Dowager has her own problems too and only her eunuch understands her. She can't allow the Emperor's birth mother from entering the palace because she has to keep court peace. But the Emperor doesn't understand. Meanwhile, the Emperor's eunuch, Mao Ze, who is equally loyal to the Emperor, receives a "present" from the Empress Dowager's eunuch. It's a plate. Mao Ze immediately understands the significance of the place and relays it to the Emperor who also understands the deeper meaning behind the plate with a few hints from Mao Ze. Essentially, this plate instantly dissolves the Emperor's anger. Peace in the palace has been restored (via a plate)
[Episodes 3-8 Summary: Adult Life Transition]
Han Qi is now a chancellor. The Emperor recognizes him as that straightforward boy who ridiculed him in the market. The adult Han Qi seems to be much more reserved. He informs the Emperor that the family had passed away because some rich noble idiot had exponentially raised the prices for their medication. That idiot is the Emperor himself. His one small desire had a rippling and devastating effect on common peasants.
Fang Chong Yian (new character) is a teacher of our main female lead, Cao Dan Shu. He is later a minister/chancellor, whatever they're called, for our Emperor. He's my favourite spineless dad from The Story of Ming Lan. Cao Dan Shu (our future Empress) loves to learn and when she learns of all the amazing things our Emperor has done, she has fallen in love with him instantly. Without seeing the guy, she' already has a crush on him. However, she's betrothed to the Li's family eldest son. Despite having a (unfathomable) love interest, she is set to marry him because of a promise her grandfather had made. She's a faithful one even if it's not a promise she made. Even if the Li dude doesn't want to marry because he wants to be a monk.
The Empress Dowager passes away. It saddens me a little that the Emperor and she never truly made up. The Empress Dowager would be so nervous about her attire to the smell of her room when he visits but the Emperor doesn't care. The day she passed away, the Emperor visits the empty court and looks to the empty seat. There won't be anyone to oversee his decisions now. I'm not sure if he's happy or sad. Although the Empress Dowager isn't here, the court still isn't his alone. His ministers and chancellors all pitch in a say here and there. Sucks being the Emperor. Just when the mother problems settle down, he's got wife problems now.
The childish, short-fused Empress accidentally slaps the Emperor and he immediately removes her title. The Emperor is in need of a new Empress who is worthy of her title. And the hunt for a new Empress begins.
[Episode 9: The Four Loves of the Emperor]
Meanwhile Wo Er (Consort Miao) is doing pretty well on her own. She's learned from the best, the Empress Dowager, and makes sure to keep peace in the back court so as not to trouble the Emperor. The Emperor appreciates this (and the Empress Dowager for teaching her well)
The next morning the Emperor finally graces his presence upon his new Empress. And my oh my is he impressed with her looks. Jeez. He takes a peek of her here and there while Empress Cao's head hangs low. She's still upset. It's an awkward breakfast where he wants to get to know her more but she's barricaded her heart from him. After breakfast, she briskly sends him away giving him little to no excuse to stay. The Emperor is stupefied. Him, the mighty hot Emperor is being denied by his woman? Atrocious.
[Episodes 10-12: A Prelude to the Emperor and Empress's Love]
[Ep10] Night number two: It's her turn to send him away. Ha. A year passes and Empress Cao's finally visits the Emperor's study room for the first time. Wow. Do girls hold grudges or what. She's not visiting him because she wants to. She has a business to settle and needs his approval. She wants to bring back the ex-Empress and promote his dear Miao Consort. When it's approved, the ministers are suddenly very wary of this Empress. They think she's manipulating the back court to her advantage and compares her to the likes of the late Empress Dowager. I wish both these women had a scene together just to showoff how smart they are. Too bad.
[Ep12] Although the Emperor doesn't stay the night (because she's still emotionally distancing herself from him) he's constantly thinking of her. The maid notes that the Emperor purposely sought for her tonight and even shared court business with her. The maid knows they perfectly compliment each other but Cao Dan Shu isn't willing yet to open her heart again. And it might be too late for yet again. Miao Consort is pregnant and it will be the Emperor's first child. All that improvement in their relationship takes a halt. This pregnancy also stirs court politics.
[Ep13] A lot of court politics
[Ep14] Miao Consort has given birth to Princess Hui Rou. Still so much politics on her birth but the Emperor is determined to give her the best even if she's not a boy.
[Episodes 15-20: The Rise of Zhang Bi Han]
[Ep15] The mini Cold War between the Emperor and Empresses still hasn't melted. That night, Empress Cao asks her maid whether she's boring. Maybe that's why I've always disliked Maggie Jiang. An an actress, her features, her actions all bore me. I guess they've casted the perfect actress to play Empress Cao. At least in my eye. When Empress Cao was ready to make up with the Emperor, Zhang Bi Han was dancing in the Emperor's room ready to envelope him in her charms. It's truly a question who ruined who's chances. Bi Han or The Empress. Empress Cao would have been in a much better mood if it had been for Bi Han.
[Ep16] With the Empress's presence, the Emperor dismisses Bi Han immediately. He's like a husband trying to appease his jealous wife. The mood between these two was just perfect until an earthquake rumbles beneath them. The Emperor rushes to protect her but Empress Cao immediately stands up and calls for help. Like a dependable ruler, she orders peace to the palace. The Emperor watches her and is reminded of Empress Dowager. I'm not too sure if that's a good thing or not... to be reminded of the woman he once hated. The Emperor did seem tearful when reminded of the Empress Dowager. As much as he once disliked her, he did admire her.
[Ep17] Huan Er is punished for having an affair with one of the Emperor’s eunuch, Liao Zi. The Emperor uses a roundabout way to ask for the maid’s forgivable but the Empress is headstrong. Mao Ze understands the Empress’s decision to send Huan Er away is to protect her from rumours that can destroy her maiden reputation. The one who’s most upset about Huan Er leaving is the Empress herself but the Emperor blames her more than consoles her. Mao Ze comforts the Liao Zi that it’s for the better to keep their desires hidden to protect the ones they love. Words within words eh. If Shu Dan is the Emperor’s soulmate than Mao Ze is her’s. The Emperor knows that sending the maid away is the best solution but it is a coldhearted one. He confides in Mao Ze that the Empress feels like family to him but also not: so close yet so far. At times he’s even afraid of her.
The court has invaded further into the Emperor’s family affairs and he’s now forced into adopting a son. Furious, he stalks off court and only a eunuch apprentice follows him. He’s Liang Huai Ji. The kind and benevolent Emperor can’t bear to take his anger out on a child and instead he confides in this little boy about his love for his precious daughter.
[Episodes 21-26: The Prelude to Zhang Bi Han's Fall from Favour]
There's a scene of the Emperor barefooted. He orders to cut down his staff and whatnot. I sort of liked it just because it showed how down to earth and benevolent this Emperor was.
Haggardly, he leaves her place and falls over from heart pain (from stress). He doesn't want to return to Bi Han and just sits on the cold floor. Mao Ze piggybacks our disheartened Emperor. I forgot that Mao Ze is also the Emperor's soulmate.
[Ep23] Mao Ze says the obvious and in return he gets a slap in the face by the Empress for overstepping his boundaries and insulting Consort Zhang. However, that doesn't stop him from telling her one fact.
Mao Ze: Eventually the Emperor will be yours, and only yours, my Empress. It's not an evil line. Unfortunately no one is evil in this drama... Anyways, it's meant to comfort the Empress.Meanwhile our young Princess Hui Rou meets Li Sheng Rong's descendant: Li Wei. She kisses his injured forehead. It's cute-ish.
[Ep24] The war is lost. Mao Zhe informs the Empress and only the Empress of the Emperor’s whereabouts. Feeling guilty, he’s begging for forgiveness at the ancestral hall. He had threatened to behead anyone who followed him but the Empress knows her Emperor wouldn’t do that. She comforts him in her arms that she’s not afraid. She’ll share his burden. The Emperor faints over from crying too much. Still in her arms, Empress Cao weeps with him and confesses, “I am afraid, afraid of losing you.”
[Ep25] Bi Han pierces Dan Shu with her words again: “Empress, you really don’t understand what it’s like to be a mother.” She isn’t even his legit wife yet after how many years is this? Four? Five? This statement comes after Bi Han has discovered Princess Hui Rong is the person who used a voodoo doll to curse her newborn daughter. Li Huai Ji (the young eunuch) proves Hui Rong’s innocence. This conflict unfolded so excruciatingly slow I could not believe how many seconds ticked away without any words or any movements. Just scene changes from one person to another. It’s supposed to have a dramatic effect but when the drama isn’t that dramatic it just becomes dreadful. I’m hanging onto this drama by a thread that’s ready to snap any moment. Why it hasn’t already snapped is something I constantly ask myself.
Additionally, I was seriously bothered by the blurred out effect when everyone was gathered at the Empress’s court. You can see the Princess clearly in the forefront and all the maids behind her are blurry. It was unsettling to watch hazy people.
[Ep26] So where was the Emperor when all this “drama” was unfolding? Remember he fainted in Episode 24. He’s still recovering. He woke up from his slumber having dreamt of Hui Rong calling out to him. The number one girl in Emperor’s heart is actually Hui Rong, all these females fighting over him have all misunderstood.
The conflict ends on a dull note and the Empress remains at Zhao Zhen’s side. She’s sewing as he’s resting. He eyes her skeptically commenting how he didn’t know she can sew. I’m skeptical he knew anything of her to begin with. She admits to having the base done by a maid. Zhao Zhen is still skeptical and she sheepishly confesses that Wo Er helped with the difficult patterns. I like this scene. It makes Dan Shu seem human. The perfect Empress isn't that perfect.
Zhang Bi Han is upset her daughter’s case is dully dropped. Honestly I would be too, it’s just she’s got her culprit wrong for believing that maid. She sabotages Li Huai Ji but good people have good outcomes and he escapes punishment fairly easily. This TINY incident gets reported to the busy Emperor. The benevolent and understanding Emperor knows who’s behind Li Huai Ji’s incident but he doesn’t punish Zhang Bi Han. She had a punishment of her own: her newborn dies. I don’t think the baby grew up in a healthy womb anyways with her mother’s constant paranoia.
New character: Dong Qiu He. She’s a hairstylist who Miao Consort is in love with. A new evil character? Don’t get your hopes up. She’s another super nice and super smart girl.
[Episodes 27-30: The Hairstylist Problem]
Princess Hui Rong is five but there’s already talks about her marriage. Zhao Zhen shares with Dan Shu he wishes for her future son-in-law to be devoted to his daughter only. The irony. The last person he should share that thought with is the Empress.
[Ep28] The next conflict: hairstylist problem. Omg. Are we going to get a janitor problem too? Zhao Zhen’s longtime hairdresser meddles in politics and is harshly punished by the Emperor and this sends rumbles throughout the palace. It’s really just an excuse for a fight between Zhang consort and Miao consort. Wo Er who’s usually benign is purposely picking a fight with Bi Han. They’re both fighting to have their hairstylist promoted to become the Emperor’s newly vacant position. It’s a power struggle between the two consorts. Wo Er can live with sharing less of the Emperor’s love but as Hui Rong’s mother she can’t just passively let her daughter be accused. Dan Shu senses peculiarity in Miao’s behaviour and heeds her against offending Zhang. Miao takes this chance to complain about the Emperor as well: how can Zhao Zhen have Dan Shu and still like Zhang Bi Han. Because DS is boring and BH is fun... Duh. This conflict also proves how much more suitable the Empress is for the Emperor. While the consorts are all stirring up drama, only the Emperor and Empress want peace.
[Ep29] Zhao Zhen sends his trusty eunuch, Li Huai Ji, to be his beloved daughter Rui Hong’s art teacher. Li Huai Ji is now her favourite person. The Emperor made a comment that the best people aren’t always kept at one’s side hence why he sent Li Huai Hi to the person he loves the most. Meanwhile the maid (Lan Tiao) at Zhang Bi Han’s side is pure evil. She’s the one who accused Princess of making the voodoo doll all with the purpose of making Zhang go crazy. She’s probably the reason for all of Zhang’s paranoia. She used to be on the same dancing squad as her and was always shoved into the shadows of Zhang Bi Han’s superiority. This is the drama’s way of telling us how angelic Dan Shu is. She doesn’t even need to move a finger and her enemies will write themselves out. And also why this drama is so lifeless.
[Ep30] And the competition for the Emperor’s hairdresser begins. Bi Han shows up all glam-ed and it’s all out of place. After the war, the palace had heavily cut down on its spending and here Bi Han shows up with excessive gold on her small
Princess Hui Rong expresses her disappointment in her father for not choosing Dong Qiu He. Zhao Zhen acknowledges Dong Qiu He but when he learned that Mao Ze brought her in, he knew that she was meant for Dan Shu. Therefore this is the Emperor’s way of leaving the best person to the people he cares about the most just as Huai Ji was given to the Princess, Dong Qiu He is given to Dan Shu.
Half a year has gone by and Zhao Zhen makes his first visit to Dan Shu. She’s giddy and so are her maids but the two start arguing over something inconsequential: Zhang’s selfish desire of wanting a new carriage. Dan Shu couldn't approve of it because of his rules of budgeting so she gave hers to Zhang. He passively-aggressively nags her for it and she blows up. One tippy toe forward and ten steps back.
[Episodes 31-35: Hui Rong Grows Up]
Hui Rong is both understanding and righteous. The Empress, being everything nice, does not punish Zhang for her reckless behaviour but Hui Rong won’t back down. Zhang is punishing someone the Empress already forgave. It’s a snide on the Empress. Fully understanding the implications, Hui Rong puts Zhang in her place. The Empress is proud but keeps her composure. She does tell Hui Rong to apologize. Not for her words but for the way she said it. Hui Ring knows she’s right and apologizes as per Empress’s orders for being too harsh and only apologizes for that. As she curtsies, a haughty smile leaks from her expression.
The Emperor who just had a fight with the Empress immediately thinks of her when he's admiring a piece of Fan Chong Yan's literature. He's so happy about it he calls out to Dan Shu but she's not actually there. It's only Huai Ji. Awkwardly, Zhao Zhen tells Huai Ji to deliver the scroll to the Empress as he walks away to save himself from further embarrassment.
On his walk, the Emperor meets yet another lady. It's Dong Qiu He. She's upset about the incense competition in which she tied in with Zhang Bi Han's maid. If she hadn't tied than the precious prize the Empress had given wouldn't fall to Zhang Bi Han's maid and wouldn't have been spilled all over the floor. To someone who values incense it was truly a waste. Additionally, to someone who values the Empress, seeing her precious item destroyed, it was truly upsetting. The Emperor questions how she wasn't the least bit disappointed in the hair-styling one but why is she disappointed now? She's straightforward: she didn't think her skills were subpar then. The Emperor laughs and agrees with her. He further comforts her that she didn't lose (a tie is a lost) this incense competition either. At least not because of skill. It's just that Zhang Bi Han had a captivating fresh idea. Hearing that, she's comforted. However, the Emperor feels he's wronged her of the hairstylist one so he promises her that he will grant a wish for her as long as it's legal. I am both relieved and disappointed that Dong Qui He won't be a consort. I think she will stay loyal to the Empress.
[Ep32] Huai Ji is on his way to deliver the scroll to the Empress and bumps into Hui Rong. Together they take a stroll. Hui Rong complains how can her father dote on Zhang consort more than the Empress. Huai Ji thinks differently. If the Emperor didn't care about the Empress, why would he demand Zhang to change her cup because her colour clashed with the Empress's, and why would he be angry at the Empress for allowing Bi Han to use her carriage. Ahh. I guess that argument wasn't that inconsequential.
Side story: Xia Song and Jia Jiao Xi are the "evil" pair. They're running an illegal salt business by selling it to the black market. Xia is ousted by his fellow peers and tells Jia to be good to Zhang and nothing more. Oh more niceness, okay. Their little secretive meeting was caught by Mao Ze but he lets them be. He has no intention of revealing their dirty deeds now just when they're starting because that would be giving them a chance to redeem themselves. He's got to wait until they've full invested and then do the reveal to dig up the trash once and for all. Where were you this entire time, Mao Ze?
[Ep33] Back to the school problem. Hui Rong walks off upset that she can't attend school anymore. The Emperor wants to convince the Empress but she's a stickler for her decision. The Emperor tells her he wants a different life for Hui Rong and somehow the conversation goes to him and his displeasure with palace life. He never once experienced happiness within the walls of this lonely castle. The Empress looks at him in silent shock. Why. Emperor. Why. The Empress gets down on her knees and angrily apologizes for being one of the reason he's unhappy because he was forced to marry her. That night when he never consummated with her was the night she decided she will not be his wife, but the country's queen. The Emperor is furious hearing her apology and was about to throw the precious scroll to the floor but hesitates and resorts to slamming the table.
Their argument (and his potential explanation) is interrupted when Jia Jiao Xi reports to the Emperor that Zhang's daughter, Yuan Yuan, has a health emergency. I'm surprised he didn't run their immediately and still had time to stare down at the Empress. The one who saved the child was Dong Qiu He. She's figured out that the child has allergies and someone had purposely dyed all the clothes with flower scents. This person was that maid, the ex-dancer, who was always jealous of Zhang Bi Han. Now Jia Jiao Xi knows but she doesn't extinguish her immediately and even keeps it a secret from Zhang Bi Han. Meanwhile Zhang Bi Han pleads the Emperor to dote on her less. She believes that her life wasn't meant to be bestowed with such happiness that the Emperor is willing to give her. She begs him to visit her less in exchange for her daughter and her fetus' well-being. Hmm. Zhang Bi Han is sincere.
Huai Ji is the one sent to appease our upset Hui Rong. She throws a temper at him and he comes down on his knees. However, she tells him that he's the only one she can throw a temper at. In front of others she'll keep her poise, but not in front of him. Huai Ji stares at her and it's those dreamy looks. Is this supposed to be love? It's cute, but a little pedo. He reports to the Princess that Emperor has ordered him to teach her instead. With that one sentence, Hui Rong's mood is lifted immediately.
Han Qi has not shown up since I don't know when and now he's sporting a 'stache. I really wonder if these characters understand their script. They get like 4 lines within 10 seconds of random episodes.
Dong Qiu He is on a stroll with the Empress. DQH has someone who loves her so much he drew a picture of her and had it sent to the palace to announce his love. Dan Shu asks her if she wants to turn the portrait to life (i.e. choose love) or leave the painting as is and be enclosed within these palace walls (i.e.choose career). DQH doesn't know how to answer. Like Huan Er, the Empress' previous maid, DQH also wants to stay next to the Empress.
[Ep34] Zhang Bi Han slaps Hui Rong in the face for giving her daughter a toy. You see, Bi Han is especially paranoid of Hui Rong since she vehemently believes it was Hui Rong behind the voodoo doll incident. The Emperor sees it all, takes the side of Zhang Bi Han and angrily sends Hui Room to her room. Moments later, he shows up in his daughter's room. Hui Rong pretends to be asleep and ignores his father. When he leaves, she's disappointed. There's laughter outside and it's her father playing a prank on her. The Emperor never left. After he explains to Hui Rong that he had no choice but to choose Zhang at that moment and the only solution was to separate the two ladies, Hui Rong forgives her father. She warns him that in the future if she were to ever be mad again, he can't leave until she forgives him and eats his desserts. The Emperor laughs. He's gotten his daughter's forgiveness but not the mother's. Miao Consort doesn't show her anger but it's in her calm words. She's learning the way of the Empress and shoos him away for the night with only polite words.
[Ep35] The Emperor takes Hui Rong and Dan Shu out of the palace to celebrate the lantern festival. The Empress gleefully tells the Emperor it's been a while since she's been in peasant (rich peasant) clothes. The children have grown up and the actors are changed. I miss the younger version of Hui Rong and Huai Ji...This is the third switch already.
[Ep36] Political stuff: Ou Yang and Wang Gong Chen conflict. If it's not obvious by now, I have completely ignored the men's talk in my recaps.
[Ep37] Zhang Bi Han's daughter dies again... I think it's more Zhang Bi Han's bad luck than it is the Emperor's but Zhao Zhen believes it's because he was unfilial towards Empress Dowager that his child has passed away. He cries in front of her picture asking what can he do to make up for it. Nothing.
[Ep38] Miao had given birth to a son but now he has a fever. Meanwhile, Hui Rong grows an abnormal lesion on her neck. They've got a contagious disease. The fate of his children... On a lighter note, Princess now secretly calls Huai Ji "Ge Ge" when no one else is around. He teaches her what "poor" means. Hui Rong has an abstract understanding and compares who is poorer between Zhang Consort and the Empress. Although Zhang lost her daughter, at least she had one, whereas the Empress never even had a child of her own to lose.
[Ep39] Empress updates the Emperor of his children's health. They need to be physically isolated. Knowing the Emperor's love for his children, the Empress had written an edict that if his children were to die he can enact her edict which removes her of the Empress position. She's using this as an exchange for him to keep his distance while she is moving in with Miao Consort to care for the children.
[Ep40] The Emperor names his son a crown prince hoping to change his fate and bring faith to the country. Wo Er throws his edict back at him. She only wants the health of her child. She doesn’t need her child to bring fortune to the country. Her words further hurt the Empress that no one can understand her heart as a mother. Do y’all hear Dan Shu’s heart breaking more? Dan Shu motivates Wo Er reminding her she still has Hui Rong to care for so she has to be strong. Hui Rong, although is filial to Dan Shu, she’s only calling out to Wo Er and the Emperor.
On the Emperor’s side, he’s keeping calm. He trusts his Empress. He assures his eunuchs (who are concerned about their beloved Empress) that she won’t lost her queen position. He knows Dan Shu more than anyone else, she’s not afraid of losing the queen position either. She’s only afraid of not doing her job well. The Emperor trusts his Empress will be perfect regardless.
However the prince does die. Zhao Zhen stares up at the sky asking Empress Dowager if it’s her again. He makes his way to Miao Consort who’s lifeless after losing her son. Empress reminds the devastated Emperor that Hui Rong is feverish and needs his attention. The physicians worry for the Emperor’s health if he would catch the contagion as well but the Empress assures everyone that no one can deny a father from seeing their child at this point. The Empress is fairly certain Hui Rong only has a regular fever but is still heavily sick and needs her father. This is probably the first selfish decision Dan Shu has made for Zhao Zhen to see his daughter.
[Ep41] The Empress catches wind of the Emperor personally requesting Dong Qiu He to be his new hairstylist. Immediately she dashes to the Emperor only to find him alone. She casually recommends another maid for the job but the Emperor knows Dan Shu well. He directly asks her whether she doesn’t trust him or doesn’t trust Dong Qiu He. She doesn’t trust him. The Emperor knows the answer and assures her he won’t choose Dong Qiu He but Xu Lan Tiao instead. How does he go from an A choice to an F one in an instant.
When the Empress returns, Dong Qiu He cowers to her knees and begs for forgiveness for making the Empress worried. She tells the Empress that the Emperor had given her an edict: to tend to all of the Empress’ duties, not just her hair. After the death of his son, the Emperor knows that the Empress will be neglected when she too is as shattered as Miao Consort. The Empress needs someone detail-oriented to care for her therefore Dong Qiu He is the perfect candidate. Dong Qiu He translates the basic meaning to the Empress: The Emperor truly cares about you. The Empress contemplates and reveals it’s not that she doesn’t trust the Emperor, she doesn’t trust herself that the Emperor could ever love her.
An update on the smartest man in this drama who scarcely makes an appearance: Mao Ze gives his lantern to another eunuch to light his way. This eunuch is harbouring ill intentions and Mao Ze warns him to not choose the path of darkness.
[Ep44] Emperor and Zhang Mao Ze show their wits. The Emperor does court stuff and Mao Ze handles the affairs outside the court. Mao Ze almost zeroes in on Xu Lan Tiao and the murder of Zhang’s daughter.
[Ep45] Hui Rong is all grown up and it's another new actress. Empress has appointed Dong Qiu He to do her makeup because it's an important day. It's the wedding between the Emperor's adopted son and the Empress's adopted daughter. Those two were loving since they were children which is a nice foil to the Emperor and Empress. That makeup on Hui Rong is weird. She's got rice on her dimples. They're actually pearls on her laugh lines... Hui Rong is also of age to marry, hence why she's being dressed up. Huai Ji looks solemn though. At the wedding she meets Cao Ping (Dan Shu's nephew) and takes a liking to him but the Emperor has other plans. He betroths his beloved daughter to Li Wei who is superbly dull rather than Cai Ping who is superbly outstanding. Perhaps too well known and flowery to the Emperor's liking who rather his daughter marry a man who will only love her.
The bandits (and rebels) are found. There’s four of them, one had escaped. It’s because of the Empress’s maid, Yuan Cai Ling, that they had a chance to enter the palace. An evil eunuch (the one under Jia Jiao Xi) takes this opportunity to sabotage the Empress but the Emperor burns the only evidence before anyone can place any suspicion on his Empress. I like that the Emperor trusts his Empress but that just destroyed a potentially good conflict. That’s not the only thing the Emperor does. He knows Dan Shu cares for her maids so he asks for Yuan Cai Ling’s mercy. It's a futile effort but worthy of mention.
The Empress is utterly disappointed in herself for being the slightest responsibility for jeopardizing the Emperor’s safety. Dong Qiu He comforts her by revealing everything the Emperor has done for her. The Empress is too blinded by her own bias that she can’t see the Emperor’s love for her. Dong Qiu He speaks her heart out for her: the Empress wants the Emperor to love only her but she doesn’t think it’s possible so she suppresses that thought deep in her heart refusing its existence. Go Dong Qiu He.
[Ep48] These two episodes highlight why our side characters (Huai Ji, Dong Qiu He, and Mao Ze) need more screen time. Huai Ji, under the Emperor’s guidance, deciphers all the possibilities that someone is sabotaging the Empress and this person could potentially be Zhang Bi Han. However that possibility also doesn't make sense. There’s a grander motive behind the thievery/rebellion: someone is perhaps sabotaging Zhang Bi Han.
(By the way, Zhang Bi Han wants a taste of power since she was pushed away by the Emperor after the thief night. The Emperor chose to stay with the Empress. Now, she's using Lan Tiao's pregnancy to gain power. I cannot believe the Emperor slept with someone like Lan Tiao. I have zero hate against Zhang Bi Han though, she's merely a puppet. She just loves the Emperor too much. Only thing I don't like about her character is she's constantly in depression or paranoia.)
[Ep49] Dong Qiu He reenacts the promise the Emperor had given her: a favour of any kind as long as it's legal. She confesses her relationship with Cui Bai, the painter who likes her (whom she also likes). Although they've reciprocated their feelings, she is still a maiden but if the Emperor wants to punish her he can. Her request isn't to alleviate her punishment, it's for him to listen to the truth and not the rumours that the Empress's maid (i.e. DQH) is mediating a rebellion against the Emperor. Dong Qiu He's devotion to the Empress has touched the Emperor. And me. I got teary here. Dong Qiu He's continues to show her devotion by speaking on the Empress's behalf: in contrast to the Empress who's willing to risk her life for the Emperor, Zhang Consort was willing to risk the Emperor's life for her selfish need of security. The Emperor understands her words and gives her two orders: send a box to Mao Ze and ask for the Empress's attendance. The Emperor reprimands the Empress and for once the Empress is in the wrong. She shouldn't have executed the maid because it only makes her more suspicious. Although the Emperor is angry at her, it's nice that there's something the Emperor can nitpick her at. It also shows he cares.
Dong Qiu He delivers the box to Mao Ze. It's a box of empty scrolls. Mao Ze is working day and night to prove the Empress's innocence. He tells her how the previous Empress died: she was buried alive. When Dan Shu wanted to bring back the previous Empress to the palace, someone had killed her in case she were to regain the Emperor's favour. Where was this juicy conflict! Why not bring it to the forefront so the drama can have some drama? Therefore, he cannot allow any threat to the Empress to exist. Mao Ze believes in the Emperor but the Emperor is a busy man so he takes it upon himself to protect the Empress.
Mao Ze reveals the previous Empress was buried alive. He will not allow that and investigate manners until the bitter end and accept his punishment from the Emperor. He’s closing in on Lan Tiao and has a ton of evidence waiting to see daylight. (By the way Lan Tiao is supposedly pregnant and Zhang is willing to take it as hers to heighten her position. Wth Emperor... I guess an Emperor will always be an Emperor)
[Ep52] Mao Ze looks so gaunt. It’s the last we see of him until a long while. He does seem like he’s repented. Back in the palace, the Empress decides to upgrade Zhang and Miao consort status with Zhang promoted more. Hui Rong hates how her mother is lower. Huai Ji comforts Hui Rong and they spend a night out somewhere. He’s making fire for her but she’s still cold. She asks him for a shoulder for some body warmth. He gives her his back.
Zhang also hates it. She likes being upgraded just not by the Empress. She throws a fit at the Emperor and he’s clearly growing tired of her. She grudgingly accepts the status and sends the Emperor away for the night. She tells him since she can no longer be pregnant there’s no point of him staying anyways. So far each of his three wives have sent him away and the boy, the Emperor, just leaves. I can understand Zhang Bi Han’s anger. Poor girl also cannot he pregnant anymore. I wonder if Lan Tiao had any part in poisoning her. I wasn’t paying that much attention...
Once upgraded Zhang Bi Han makes all sorts of extravagant changes to her dorm. It causes a stir in the palace. Dong Qiu He is laying out all the gossips to the Empress who then questions why she knows everything. Dong Qiu He explains everyone’s been complaining to her because they think she knows exactly what the Empress is thinking. But Dong Qiu He doesn’t. The Empress snickers at her that this is her way of complaining that she’s not her soulmate. It’s cute. So rare in this drama.
[Ep53] The Empress has no plans yet to scold or stop Zhang Bi Han’s extravaganza but Hui Rong does. Hui Rong conspicuously reveals all of Bi Han’s heavy spendings to the Emperor giving him a hard time to settle things peacefully. Bi Han also refuses to back down. She’s no longer the consort who’s caring and loving. After two women he loves are giving him such woes, it is now that the Emperor wants to get to know Dan Shu more. Whatever. He apologizes for leaving her the wedding night.
[Ep54] Bi Han seems to have a grudge against the world and is making everyone around her suffer. Misery likes company. I don’t blame her. She’s quite pitiful. All her baby girls have died. Bi Han can’t live on love anymore.
[Ep55] Zhang Bi Han’s arc comes to an end as she drenches herself in the rain, laughing and crying. It’s now Hui Rong’s time. She already hates her future mother-in-law. She’s still hung over Cao Ping. She catches wind of him and this lady and even invites the lady to court to play a music score: Qing Ping Yue (similar to the Chinese title). Hui Rong is instantly relieved to hear that there’s nothing between Cao Ping and her.
[Ep56] Huai Ji cries as he reads the words on the umbrella which I assume is a love poem Cao Ding wrote for the Princess. Why? Because he can sense the downfall of the Princess? Huai Ji helps Hui Rong secretly meet with Cao Ping. However it’s not long until she goes too far and her little romance is caught by the Emperor himself.
[Ep57] Emperor throws a fit but Hui Rong doesn’t back down one bit. Hui Rong tells him she’s just like his father. She blames him for choosing Zhang Bi Han over the Empress. If he can do that then she can choose Cao Ping over Li Wei. The Emperor’s health was already deteriorating, she’s practically laying down his deathbed. The Emperor also questions Huai Ji why him of all people helped Hui Ring in this. Huai Ji tells the Emperor it’s because she loves him. Without a choice, the Emperor decides to give Cao Ping a chance but he’s too much of a coward to even attempt at winning the hand of the Princess. The Emperor makes Hui Rong overhear but contrary to his expectations Hui Rong threatens the Emperor that if he were to destroy Cao Ping, she would kill his only daughter.
Hui Rong does attempt at suicide because of her heartbreak. It’s Huai Ji who saves her but her soul has already left her. It’s Huai Ji who picks up her pieces bringing life to her again. When Hui Rong complains he’s like her shadow he replies that he is. He’ll be there when she’s sad, when she’s happy. Being with her is his biggest blessing. Why are all my eunuchs gaunt? First Mao Ze and now Huai Ji. They overdid Huai Ji’s makeup though.
The Emperor also has his round of craziness. He just recovered from a stroke. When he manages to wake up, he sees Mao Ze and the Empress. Automatically he thinks they’re planning to kill him to give rise to a new Emperor. He thinks they’re trying to make the Cao clan even more powerful by promoting Zhao Zong Shi (the Empress’s adopted son). By the way, the Emperor has no sons to this point. Only daughters and many of them have died prematurely...
Hui Rong mediates between the two. The Emperor muses to her that he’d really love some of the Empress’s cooking (meat). Hui Rong tells him that the Empress is staving off meat and copying the sutra to wish for the Emperor’s health. The Emperor knows what that means. The Empress won’t be cooking for him any time soon because of the hurt from his mistrust. Thus the Emperor declares he’ll never eat meat if she never finishes copying the sutra. Hui Rong brings these words to the Empress and she finally visits him.
Dong Qiu He update: she gave birth to three girls and her husband only loves her. What a foil to our Empress. Empress won’t let her visit because it’s best to stay away from the palace for her sake.
Dong Qiu He update: she gave birth to three girls and her husband only loves her. What a foil to our Empress. Empress won’t let her visit because it’s best to stay away from the palace for her sake.
[Ep60] Hui Rong set rules for her husband flat out saying she’s not going to sleep with him but he can choose to have dinner with her if he wants. She’s like his master. And he nods to agree to all of her stipulations. Li Wei’s mother had every intention to complain to the Emperor and Empress about her new bratty daughter-in-law who she can't even address as her daughter-in-law. However, the Empress indirectly shuts her up and Mom can’t utter a word of complaint. Mom also can’t get her way at home when Li Wei refuses to marry a concubine. He’s truly in love with the Princess. Mom wails on the floor crying injustice. Finally an entertaining scene after 60 episodes. Unfortunately, it's short-lived.
Other updates: Princess makes her first ever pouch and the recipient is Huai Ji. Emperor is aging. Han Qi and Mao Ze are back.
Li Wei is another tragic character. He loves the Princess. He’s just a little dim and shy. He’d obediently go to her room for meals and waits for her to eat before he does. She comments that he must have hit his head on the tree again and uses that as an excuse to dismiss him. Li Wei knows he didn't hit his head but he obeys and leaves anyways. Hui Rong’s maid comes to learn of Li Wei's painting skills and urges him to be more forward to impress Hui Rong. He gathers his courage only to realize Hui Rong already loves someone else: Huai Ji. He saw her happily painting with Huai Ji. She's showing Huai Ji a smile she’s never shown him. (She was requesting Huai Ji to paint her something that she can hug to sleep so she can see it every morning when she wakes up. That way everyday becomes a bit more bearable.)
Other updates: Hua Ji reunites with his brother. His real name is Liang Yuan Heng. They were separated because of family issues where Huai Ji was later saved by Mao Ze.
Like father and daughter. They’re bandwagoners who believe rumours that their betroths are ugly. They only care about looks, screw personality and talent. The Emperor neglected Dan Shu because he thought she was ugly. Hui Rong neglects Li Wei because she thinks he's ugly. Seriously, show. This is the message you're showing us?
Mother-in-law has her own ways to make things happen quicker. She drugs Hui Rong’s drink and forces her son to sleep with her. Mother-in-law literally has to sit outside all night to guard their room to ensure the deed is done. Huai Ji comes running to beg her to stop otherwise the Princess will die once she wakes up. He saves her.
[Ep63] Huai Ji and Hui Rong talk in seclusion. She tells him, “Huai Ji, you’re trapped. You’re trapped here - points to heart -". Huai Ji tells her he’s willing to be trapped there. Their romantic moment is caught by mother-in-law who spews insulting words at her. Hui Rong forcefully pushes her over and throws an angry tantrum at Li Wei. Boiling with anger himself, Li Wei slaps her. This is the first time our Princess has ever been hit and this will be her last straw. Hui Rong must go home.
That night the Emperor dreams of her. He always does when his daughter needs him. A disheveled Hui Rong shows up in front of him and cries her woes of being slapped and almost raped. Emperor is angry enough to demand a death sentence on Li Wei but the Empress knows better. She calmly looks over at the quiet Huai Ji and intuitively asks him to tell her the details.
On the day Huai Ji is set to leave, he accompanied Hui Rong back to Li Wei's. He stops halfway and tells her he’s going to buy her favourite meat. She requests it to be lean and off Huai Ji goes. Hui Rong doesn’t know this is their farewell.
Huai Ji is banished from the city and meets a consort who had fallen from grace. She had part in taking down the ex-Empress. This consort had no desire to live until she adopted a daughter. Being a mother gives hope for a woman to live on. I think that also gives him hope that perhaps Hui Rong can be happy if she can be a mother.
Back in the palace, Zhao Zhen reluctantly asks Dan Shu, “Is she smiling?” Dan Shu doesn’t reply. This means that the Emperor hasn’t seen her since. My second teary moment. The love for his daughter is felt. He’s afraid she’ll ask him about Huai Ji. Hui Rong is not fine. For a while she only ever ate taro, the food that holds special memories of Huai Ji. She now plays with her little sisters to pass time. Upon hearing taro, she’s reminded of Huai Ji again and commits suicide. It’s a failed attempt.
[Ep66] Without a choice, the Emperor summons Huai Ji back to the palace and organizes a time for him to meet Hui Rong. Huai Ji simplifies the process that one look of each other is fine. A furious Emperor asks why. Huai Ji replies that he doesn’t want to see Hui Rong’s tears. And so one glimpse it is. Hui Rong runs after him but he’s already long gone. I cried when she ran after him. Without finding him, she calmly returns to her room. Y’all when you’re expecting someone to go crazy and frantic but they’re dead calm, that’s an ominous sign. That night she sets fire to her room. The girl has gone crazy. Huai Ji rushes over to distinguish the fire. One fire down, there’s another fire down the hall. It’s mother-in-law’s. She’s gone crazy too and begs Huai Ji to free her family. Huai Ji understands what he has done to her and her son’s life. He has nothing but apologies to give.
The next day Li Wei asks the Emperor if he can take a concubine (for his mother’s sake). It turns out to be Jia Jing Zi, Hui Rong’s maid. She was the one who appreciated him. Hui Rong thinks JJZ is being punished on her behalf to marry him but JJZ assures her she loves him. Just because the Princess thinks he’s dull, it doesn’t mean he’s not precious to others. Yea, Princess. Hui Rong acknowledges and wishes her happiness. At least JJZ gets to live with the one she loves and receive blessing for it.
Other updates if you still care about the Empress and Emperor’s love line: Dan Shu confesses she was in love with Zhao Zhen all along. It’s two decades too late for me to feel anything.
[Ep68] I appreciate the revelation of Huai Ji’s identity as Liang Yuan Heng but this could have taken fifteen minutes and saved us an entire episode of court stuff. Anyways. Liang Yuan Heng / Huai Ji was sold by his aunt after his mother died. The aunt kept his family’s money and sent him to the court to be a eunuch. That’s obviously not all of the story. The Liang family was single handily destroyed by the Emperor (by accident). To this day the Emperor is still guilty over it. If it had not been the Emperor’s selfish request for certain ingredients it would not have led to his father’s death and then his mother’s death and his current detriment. He could have been a minister of some sort, someone with a bright future.
At court, the Emperor summons Huai Ji and returns him his original name. The purpose of today’s court is to discuss Huai Ji’s punishment. After learning his past, the Emperor is determined to save him. The Minister, or I should say this one annoying minister won’t budge on delivering punishment to Huai Ji since the Princess cannot be punished. That’s when our royal Princess walks in. She’s barefooted and unkempt. She’s singing a song as she makes her way into the court. In her hand is a puppet. She asks the minister if he’s ever loved someone. If he has, why can’t he understand her? Why must he force her to be his puppet to satisfy his expectation without a life of her own. The Emperor dismisses her. He asks his ministers whether they think that the Hui Rong they just saw is a threat to the throne. Why must they meddle in Huai Ji and Hui Rong’s affair? Are they really a threat to the country? That’s what I wanted to say this ENTIRE drama. The Emperor wants to protect everyone and reminds his ministers that Huai Ji was also an innocent citizen. He also deserves protection. The Emperor will not back down and the ministers recognize the benevolence of their ruler, including that annoying minister.
[Ep69] The father and daughter make up. The Emperor’s words get through to his daughter that as long as Huai Ji is with her, rumours will always surround them that he’s a devil who seduced the Princess. He convinces her to send him away (aw) to a safe place for his sake.
As for Hui Rong, she received a present from Li Wei. It’s a divorce letter. That’s the best he can do for her. To set her free. Hui Rong is grateful. That’s the only present she could ever want from him.
Meanwhile Huai Ji is sent to a calm and quiet place surrounded by scrolls. He seems happy (and healthy) there. From afar, Hui Rong is waving to him but he doesn’t know it. She joins Dan Shu and Miao Consort back in the carriage. She then asks about her father and mulls that she hasn’t seen him in a while. The ladies lie to her that he’s busy. And that’s the end. Three lonely ladies in the carriage giving each other comfort.
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-2)]: The synopsis was so boring I don't understand how that could intrigue anyone. The actors also didn't pull me in. I'm familiar with Wang Kai but not that big of a fan to be determined to watch at least 69 episodes of him. But. First episode rolls in and I hear a familiar background music. It's from The Story of Ming Lan! As I continue to watch it, the tonality, the terminologies all scream The Story of Ming Lan. It's the same production crew! Now I'm intrigued. I do remember having difficulties getting into TSoML; it took a dozen episodes for me to really enjoy watching the drama so I'm expecting the same here. I'm anticipating the same level of complexity and delicious scheming just from watching the first two episodes. I'm thinking they cut down a lot of the childhood parts to bring down the episode count from 72 to 69... so maybe it won't take me as long to stay engaged.
Commentary [Ep14]: I hate to keep comparing a drama to another and I'm hoping it'll be the last I'll say of it. Story of Ming Lan was able to capture the everyday nuance and the ripple effect it had on the nobles and the palace. This drama isn't nearly as delicate. The problems in this drama are ordain small ones that gets magnified to exaggerated proportions. I don't know whether to call it politics or fam-tics because the ministers have no proper jobs at all unless it's to meddle in the Emperor's family affairs. First, it's his mother and his stepmother, then his wife, then his concubine, and then his daughter. Soon it'll be his daughter's wedding, etc. This drama is supposed to centered around the Emperor and I was expecting more men stuff. Instead it's a slice of life drama set in the palace with nice women. I appreciate the drama for not introducing 2D contrived women. However, do I really want to watch a palace drama with nice women? Not really. That's my feeling up until where I'm at. I'm still engaged in this drama waiting for the moment to fall in love with this.
[Ending] It’s a terribly lonely ending. It would have been quite befitting of the original title (“Held in a Lonely Castle”). I don’t pity any of the characters though. I’ve lost feelings for every single one of them. The drama has made me cry here and there but my tears are cheap. Dan Shu and Zhao Zhen are soulmates that never get to connect. Dan Shu also has no children of her own. Miao Consort has moved on from loving Zhao Zhen to being a full time mom but fate has it that her son dies and her daughter goes crazy with no children of her own. The Emperor’s sons all die prematurely (too bad genetic analysis wasn’t available then). Mao Ze’s unrequited love for Dan Shu makes him go to any lengths for her but he gets absolutely nothing in return. Natta. Huai Ji’s love for the Princess is mutual but nothing, absolutely nothing good came out of it. Hui Rong has gone crazy. Zhang Bi Han has gone crazy too (all three of her daughters died) for those who still remember her because she just fell off the drama without making a single return thereafter. So what is the purpose of this drama? To tell us that the king was nice.
[Review] If you think you're watching a drama, you are misinformed. This is not a drama. This is a documentary. It boasts one of the largest drama castings but there are no characters in this drama. These are just pawns to deliver lines. There's no personality in any of these characters except for the select leads. But even their personalities can be clustered under one descriptor: nice. Everyone is nice. Normal and nice. The evil characters can just be described as not as nice. I am in complete awe at how this drama filled 69 episodes of non-conflicts: a husband not showing up for wedding night, a hairstylist gossiping around, an incense competition, etc. The most scandalous part of the drama (Hui Rong and Huai Ji’s romance) takes place in the last dozen of episodes. The entire drama winds down to a lonely ending to fit history.
My watching progression: I finished the first third purely because of my love for The Story of Ming Lan staff that produced this drama and hoping that this will pick up its pace at some point (for the record I fell in love with TSoML on Episode 40). The next third, I was simply astonished the drama had the audacity to grandly advertise itself when it knew how utterly boring it was. I shook my head so many times and asked the show, you call this a conflict? I dully watched the last third for the sake of completing it and giving myself the right to review this harshly. If it weren't for the quarantine, I would have never finished this.
I was once enthralled with the transcending love of Dan Shu towards her king. He is her world. She knows that the Emperor values his country so his world has become her world. That is why she mirrors his benevolence and his pacifism. That is why she cherished the country he loves. This love sounds beautiful but the execution of it was sluggish; it loiters back and further back until even the shadow of it disappears. The drama leaves their romance stale. I question myself why I even bothered with these two.
The “evil guys” in this drama take themselves out. The Empress and Emperor need not move a single finger. Where's the fun in that? None. There’s just nothing fun about this drama. If you’re expecting a documentary and want to learn Chinese history, this is great. The fact that Zhao Zhen is a pacifist, a lover of literature and a man with degenerate genes will be ingrained in my head for a long time. If you want a “drama” and or you’ve started this and you think that this will improve as you watch it, my gosh, you are in the wrong alley, the wrong country, the wrong universe. Turn away and never look back.
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